Is it Overtraining Syndrome or something else?

[samee100]

I would really like your opinion. I have been weight lifting for 4 plus years and have been really consistent. My splits are what I’ve been told by my general practitioner who is a sports medicine doctor as being normal and not too much to cause my symptoms. I am nasm certified and a stickler for form and creating well balanced workouts. Currently I am in a four day split (M/W-lower, T/TH-upper) with cardio one or two days. Before that I was in a 6 day split (upper push/lower/upper pull) 2x/wk. I started getting sore slowly about two years ago. I figured I had DOMS and continued to workout through it. When I’m working out I feel just fine, but sore the rest of the day really noticing it when initially when I stand or walk from sitting. It has now progressed with the same issues (fine when working out, major hard to get up and walk and bend down. Mostly in lower back and lower body). I feel like my muscles get ample rest and I sleep like a pro and eat really healthy with a bit too much candy added in. I try to keep my protein to at least 80% of my weight.

This is what we have done (my doctor and I): I do general labs every time I have an appointment. Testosterone was low and we fixed that - everything else was perfect. I went to a rheumatologist and ruled everything with her out (arthritis, etc.). Then he thought since I do have some stress that when I sleep my body could be tight and not repairing at night so he wrote me a low dose of amitriptyline before I go to bed. I take glutamine, creatine and multivitamins but still need to work on my water intake. I try and keep my protein at least 80% of my body weight. And at his request I have made an appointment at a neurologist to rule anything out there.

I think I have ruled out rhabdo because it's been going on so long I really don’t have the major symptoms of that except for muscle pain. But I’m thinking that it may be overtraining syndrome. There really isn’t a huge amount of information on this except some real general info. If that is what it is then I know that I have to take a break. I really don’t have anyone to ask about it and my husband doesn’t understand because he has his own health issues and would think this is silly. “It’s just muscle soreness...take another rest day.”

I am 50 years old mom with 3 young kids and luckily don’t look it and I’m proud where I have gotham my physique. I’m at 21% BMI and my composition looks pretty buff. No one would know or even guess that I have this issue. I am afraid to lose this and that is why I have pushed through and not stopped keeping very consistent with my workout schedule. I’m sure that I am doing my body wrong by pushing through it. I am just afraid that I won’t be as consistent if I stop when I start back up and that I will lose my gains. Also since I don’t know what's causing it I wonder if it's just going to happen again since the general consensus is that I’m going about my workouts in a way that is reasonable.

I would like to hear you opinion on what you think it may be. If you think it is Overtraining Syndrom and your thoughts on a break. I really can’t imagine just living with this pain and I don’t want to chalk it up to “this is just what working out does to me.”

Any help you can give me would be helpful. Thank you. Sam

 

[the_alcatraz]

Hi Sam,

I read your concern. My girl has this similar problem too, she overtrains and doesnt feel it, women easier to overtrain then men.

I would suggest you try this. Take 2 weeks off training, just rest. Then get back to the gym and train only 2 days per week for 2 weeks then switch to 3 days/week next 2 weeks, max out at 3 days training 4 days rest for 1 month. See how you feel then.
Also add hot baths and try to massage the painful areas out.

Let us know how it goes for you.

 

[stevesmi]

soreness is your body releasing inflammation to fix the micro tears from stressing out your muscles

you are supposed to get sore from a workout to some degree. obviously as your body gets conditioned it will ease up on the soreness since it knows what to expect and becomes used to it.

you say you are in pain, mild soreness is okay. pain is NOT okay. they are hard to decipher. i got so used to little nagging soreness that i didn't even realize i tore my rotator cuff years ago. if you are at that stage then it is time to take a break from weight training. go do yoga for a couple months

 

[BodyMonster34]

sister i would not worry, take a month off weights. do something else to stay active

 

[samee100]

Thank you! Yoga is probably a great idea for me! I appreciate your help!

 

[samee100]

Thank you for this reply!

 

[samee100]

Thank you moderator! That sounds like a great plan!

 

[SteveMobsterG]

Just to be clear - have you ever actually had a break or tried a break?

 

[samee100]

Embarrassed to say no just 2-3 days between body parts!

 

[ballin2504]

I think yoga would be very beneficial and I have tried hot yoga before and it’s a game changer. May be something you would want to look into.

 

[MasonicBodybuilder]

I will take a week off here and there or do a de-load week. It is best to listen to the body and rest extra when needed.

 

[samee100]

I will take a week off here and there or do a de-load week. It is best to listen to the body and rest extra when needed.

Thank you! I think not taking breaks was a problem! What do you do during your reload?

 

[stevesmi]

Thank you! I think not taking breaks was a problem! What do you do during your reload?

it is called a de-load. a simple way to pull that off is 50% down on reps/sets/weights.

so if you usually do 10 reps of bench press at 200 pounds for 6 sets. do 5 reps of bench press at 100 pounds for 3 sets

remember our bodies are not robots made of steel iron. we are very fragile creatures. notice how lions sleep A LOT. they are super active, agile and fast killers, but they also sleep 18 hours a day and lay around. if they didn't do that their bodies would break down the same way yours is.

humans actually are very lazy creatures too. our bodies are not made to be wrecked from weight training constantly without a break. notice how pro athletes in EVERY SPORT have offseasons. they need breaks from the grind too and they are the best athlets in the world

i used to be stubborn and not believe in breaks. but then i was forced to take breaks due to injuries or things like moving etc. and i realized that taking a break actually was GOOD FOR ME. and helped me improve. you have to change up your mentality here.

i strongly urge you to take 2 months off weight training entirely and go do yoga for 2 months. then come back to weight training fresh, i recommend yoga a lot to guys cause it is the opposite of weight training. weight training is COMPRESSION. yoga is DE-COMPRESSION. weight training dries out joints, yoga LUBRICATES joints. weight training hurts flexibility and mobility, yoga INCREASES both. see why i recommend it? but take a GOOD YOGA class at a good studio. not old people yoga they teach at your gym. find a good studio well reviewed.

if you do that you will actually strengthen your core and come back stronger believe it or not

 

[MasonicBodybuilder]

Thank you! I think not taking breaks was a problem! What do you do during your reload?

I typically lift with close to 50% of the weight I would normally lift with. So if I was doing a 225lb bench press on a normal day, I would do something like 135lbs. Simply removing a plate from each side. It gives the joints a nice break too.